Description
Queen’s South Africa, 4 bars, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, St John Ambulance Service Medal, 1700 Trooper Joseph Hinge Baggs, 1st Life Guards.
QSA officially engraved: “1700 Tr J. H. Baggs. 1/L. Gds.”
St John officially engraved: “7485 Pte J.H. Baggs Dean & Charter Div No 6 Dis S.J.A.B. 1928”
A scarce Life Guards QSA and unusual pair.
Re-enlisted after 20 years service on the outbreak of war, gaining a 1914 Star trio for service, this trio was recently sold at auction.
Joseph Hine Baggs, was born during on 16th November 1872. in Wareham, Dorset.
He first attested for service with the Life Guards on 13th February 1892 aged 19, having worked as a “Farmer’s Son”.
He was certainly a fine candidate for the Life Guards as he stood at 6 foot and 3/4 inches, which was very tall for the time, the Life Guards traditionally hired tall soldiers who were about 6 foot for their impressive stature as members of the Household Cavalry.
Joseph would go on to serve for 20 years and 38 days with the Life Guards before being discharged to pension.
First at home from 10th Feb 1892 – 28th November 1899.
Serving in South Africa for the Boer War from 29th November 1899 – 29th Nov 1900.
Then finishing it out at home from 30th November 1900 – 18th March 1912.
Joseph would be the last person to sit idle with the upcoming outbreak of war.
Britain officially declared war on Germany on 4th August 1914. It took just 5 days for Joseph to sign on with the Royal Army Medical Corps for service on 9th August 1914.
He had since leaving the Army moved to Sunderland where he worked as a Foreman in a Timber-yard.
He saw an early deployment to France, seeing the following service:
Home, 9th August 1914 – 20th August 1914.
France, 21st August 1914 – 13th September 1916 (Admitted to Hospital 10th Sept 1916 with a Colles Fracture)
Home, 14th September 1916 – 29th Nov 1916
On Hospital Ship, 30th November 1916 – 11th June 1918
Home, 12th June 1918 – 27th February 1919.
His medal index card notes during the start of the war he was at No 10 General Hospital and then No 11.
Apart from a short break back home following a fractured hand, he returned to war spending the remainder on a Hospital Ship.
Joseph later died in West Hartlepool, Durham, during 1949.
